One Mixed Dish

To My Most Amiable Readers,

I forewarn you, this entry will be a bit on the random side as I've nothing really important to say, but rather wish to ramble a tad.

We've received reinforcements here in Chile in the form of Travis and Bekii Kisamore, fellow EMM missionaries. They're just simply great. They'll be living in Isla Chiloe, in the small town of Quemchi. There's possibilities of them teaching English in the local school, and for Bekii, of using her love and knowledge of dance as a ministry tool. We're so excited to have them on our team.

The children are doing well. Sophia is now wearing an eye patch to help strengthen her weak right eye. The eye started to lose vision as the left eye was dominant in focusing. Many people have told me you can buy patches with characters on them, so whatever makes this whole process more "fun", we'll try! Please pray that her vision would be restored and that she could see without the aid of patches and glasses!

Edison is learning new words each week. He really is a delight. It's becoming more evident that he's a boy...nearly everything that finds itself in his chubby fist becomes a projectile. He's very much in love with his Chilean grandma, Gigi, and anyone who looks remotely like her gets called "Gigi!!!" by a little boy with a smiling face and uplifted arms.

I had a delightful time last Sunday. Mike and Nancy took us to meet their friend, Madelaine, who lives out in the country. Madelaine is moving and invited us to come get clippings from her extensive gardens to make new plants. Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she showed us how to correctly break off cuttings and how to prune them before planting. My front yard is so beautiful now with the "baby" plants; I can't wait to see them full grown! I also planted in the backyard, but that's a bitter subject. Sheba tore out all my tenderly placed and pruned plants with a vengeance. Three times. Yes, I actually carefully replanted each time, hoping that her plant-lust would have worn itself out. Today I surrendered and transplanted the traumatized plants to the front beds. Sigh.

Dustin's birthday is coming up this June 4th, and it's a biggie this time....30!!! Can you believe it?

In closing this rather random account, Sophia, while we traveled on the bus today, told me that "Jesus heals my heart, He fixes it". How true.

Your Most Devoted, Sarah

Seven Years and Two and a Half Rascals Later

Yes, May 13, 2000 is actually starting to seem like a long time ago. And then not so much. I still remember all the odd details of the day. How the photographer always had an urgent nature about him, fiddling, mumbling incoherent things about lighting, meters, to himself. I recall the bonfire the night before, surrounded by good friends and high mountains, wondering obliquely if snow would show up tomorrow at the outdoor wedding. Playing cards like old times with old pals, trying to make the once ready conversations flow like they used to; wondering how a year apart could make us strangers to each other's lives. Last minute curling, peeping out the windows at the guests arriving, marveling at my uncle's suit which seemed to have stepped out from a 70's prom wear ad. Looking up at Dustin at the altar, into laughing eyes; can't we even take this seriously?? The symbolic hilarity of lighting a unity candle in the wind. Being ravenously hungry during the reception but too embarrassed to go through the buffet line twice. My dad and my roommate singing beautifully. Lots of goodbyes.

That would become a trend. We're on our fourth country together. The States, Canada, Costa Rica, and now Chile. We've left a bit of ourselves in each place, and miss deeply those whom we grew to love far and wide. And now...we're a growing family; as we speak my little Edison looks up at me and tries to climb me, yelling "Mama!" for all he's worth, looking up at me with big blue eyes from a face that's shedding its baby-roundness. Sophia runs in and out bearing drawings freshly rendered and trying to hide from me how much marker actually ended up on her hands. Baby #3 gives me kicks now and then, as if to remind me to give up trying to fit into my jeans and give it some space. Funny to think I've only been a mother for just shy of four years now. Was there ever actually a time that I didn't mentally re-design sippy cups for easier cleaning? Or when the messes around the house were actually caused by me? Or when Dustin and I could leave our home without the comical routine of shoe-finding, coat zipping, diaper bag-packing, face-scrubbing, and car seat wrangling? When I didn't each night give kisses to little sleeping children with a feeling of wonder in my heart? What a great seven years...thank you Dustin, I love you.

The Wee Hooligans

They're crazy. That's all I can say. To see more, click on "My Albums" in the links section.

Have a nice day!